Individuals who participate in water-related activities such as swimming or boating frequently have no convenient and safe place to keep the valuables (e.g., wristwatch, wallet, jewelry, money, etc.). Therefore most people are forced to carry with them a minimum of money and valuables in the expectation that they will be unable to protect the same while engaged in water-related activities.
At a beach, for example, valuables can be put into a storage unit such as for example a shoe or rolled up in a towel or in clothes when the owner goes into the water. However, no matter where the articles are hidden, once the owner leaves the area to enter the water, the articles are not protected and are therefore readily accessible for unauthorized removal.
A search for material having some relationship to the aforegoing problem has uncovered U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,203,551; 3,998,304; 4,155,453; 4,262,801; 4,421,150.
In U.S. Pat. No. 3,203,551, N. Van Loan reveals a bag of textile fabric material having integral closure means made from a portion of the bag and an integral flexible non-metallic fastener. The bag structure consists of front and rear walls connected at their bottom and side edges and opened at the top to provide a mouth. A cover flap is provided adjacent the mouth and securing arrangements attached to the flap are provided including a pair of tab members and a plurality of non-metallic securing elements. A further securing arrangement is provided which is secured to the outer surface of the front and rear walls below and spaced from the first securing arrangement. The securing arrangements appear to be made of Velcro.
C. Edgerton reveals in U.S. Pat. No. 3,998,304 a storage container adapted to be collapsed and folded upon itself for compact storage. The container consists of a flexible waterproof material having an elongated opening which is rendered substantially waterproof by a tubular portal element which is opened at its ends. One end of the element surrounds the container opening and is sealed to the wall of the container so that access to the container is obtained only through the tubular portal element. The opening is sealed by flattening the tubular element and rolling it upon itself substantially parallel to the longitudinal dimension of the opening. Fastening strips extend along opposite sides of the longitudinal opening to provide a mechanical closure.
In U.S. Pat. No. 4,155,453 D. Ono provides an inflatable grip container. This container is provided with a double wall provided with an intake for inflation thereof and with a quick release for rapid deflation. A compartment is formed having a sleeve which can be folded in order to completely seal the compartment between the double walls. A fastener such as a zipper is provided to fasten the sleeve in sealing position. The inner walls of the double wall construction are stretchable so that when inflated they conform to the contour of the article stored therein.
J. Avery provides in U.S. Pat. No. 4,262,801 a container including inner and outer container bodies which are marginally connected. The bottom of the compartment within the inner container is arranged at a substantial distance above the bottom of the outer container. The inner container serves as a partition between first and second inflation chambers having air flow ports. The upper end of the outer container can be wrapped into a spiral formation to seal the compartment and the container as a whole.
In U.S. Pat. No. 4,421,150 W. Masters provides a waterproof bag for the storage of articles. This bag has a waterproof enclosure contained within an outer case having a cover flap which fastens over a closure by means of a yieldable fastener made of Velcro to seal therein an article in an air-tight waterproof environment. Air entrapped therein provides buoyancy and a safety fastener maintains the closure seal should the cover flap become unfastened under pressure.